Deformable tubes (for example, aluminum tubes) are often used for containing and dispensing liquids and gels such as, for example, adhesives. It can be difficult, however, to regulate the flow of adhesives or other materials out of deformable tubes. Dispensing adhesives from them can therefore be messy, resulting in wasted adhesive. In addition, the user may not squeeze the tube in the correct area and some of the adhesive can remain trapped in the bottom of the tube.
Various devices have been developed in an attempt to control delivery of liquids and gels from deformable tubes. Typically these devices comprise a container or casing with buttons or a gripping jaw. A deformable tube is placed within the container or casing and the buttons or jaws are then activated to expel the contents of the tube in a relatively controlled manner. Examples of such devices are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2007/0218229 (Nagahama et al.) and 2009/0179031 (Chen), and European Patent Application Publication No. 0 521 200. Often, however, these devices include multiple parts and are relatively expensive and complicated to manufacture and/or assemble.
Another approach that has been developed for providing controlled delivery from deformable tubes involves placing an internal stiffener (for example, a tube with openings therethrough or an open coil) in the tube. The internal stiffener acts like a spring, which helps the tube walls rebound after the tube is squeezed. Presumably, this creates a vacuum inside the tube, thereby sucking back adhesive and stopping flow. But, the internal stiffener does not address the issue of higher viscosity adhesives becoming trapped at the bottom of the tube.